50 Themes of Beka and Rosto
by romance-addict44
Summary: Exactly what the title says. I've been really busy so I'm going to do 10 at a time, so each chapter will have 10 in it, and at the end hopefully I'll put them into one. So, yeah...
1. Chapter 1

50 Themes of Beka and Rosto

Disclaimer: I own nothing Tamora Pierce created

1. Harm

That day he'd kissed her, she should have punched him. But she hadn't. She couldn't bring herself to. After all, what was the harm of one kiss?

2. Opposite

But soon, one kiss became many, and she knew it had to stop. They weren't right for each other. They were on opposite sides of the law for goodness sake!

3. Initiation

She never let it go further than kissing, and she never initiated it either. He was the one to kiss her, and she didn't complain...too much.

4. Wants

She wanted him so badly. She needed him. And that was exactly why she couldn't let herself have him.

5. Love

She'd never thought it was love. Love was for people like Tansy and Herun, not for her. She'd done naught to deserve it, and it was rare enough. No, it couldn't be love. The very idea terrified her because it was something she couldn't fight.

6. Scared

But when he came home one night, blood staining his shirt, and swept her into a kiss she could no longer deny it. She was in love with the Rogue. And that scared her more than anything.

7. Wonder

She wasn't going to be just another of Rosto's bed warmers. But when Aniki assures her that he's single now, she can't help but wonder...

8. Breakfast

They still ate breakfast together every day. She was surprised the others didn't have something better to do. Somehow, between Kora, Aniki and Ersken, she always ended up next to Rosto. It was infuriating that they would try and set the two of them up, but she couldn't say she minded.

9. Home

She comes home from watch that night, battered and bruised from the brawl at one of the many gambling and drinking dens. He is awake, waiting at the top of the stairs to make sure she made it home.

10. Goodnight

He says goodnight with a gentle kiss, however much he knows she wishes he wouldn't, but doesn't try anything. For that she's grateful, and she wonders if maybe he wants something more than a night with her.


	2. Chapter 2

11. Notice

She can't help but notice every time he walks into the room.

12. Flowers

He's made a habit of leaving flowers outside her door on the days she has to go to court to give reports, and it makes the miserable day a bit more bearable.

13. Night

One day he doesn't come home from Court. She panics, wondering where he is and why he's not back. It makes for a very sleepless night.

14. Sleeping

The next morning he shows up and says he fell asleep before he had a chance to come home. She denies worrying over him at all, although Kora assures him (in secret) that Beka didn't sleep a wink all night.

15. Customs

She knows that one day he won't come home. Someone younger, faster, better will claim his throne and he won't show up later with an apology. It's the custom that whoever aims to be the next rogue has to kill the old one. The day someone new takes the throne will be a sad day for the folk of the Lower City.

16. Loyal

The folk of the Lower City are loyal to Rosto. Hopefully there won't be any challengers for a long time, let alone someone who can actually accomplish the task.

17. Worries

The same as she worries that one day he won't come home, he worries she'll be killed on duty. There have been many near misses, with folk like Lady Sabine being the only thing that lets her come home again. Being a dog isn't a safe thing, not at all.

18. Cheating

She's never accused him of cheating on her, because she still protests that there is nothing between them and a relationship 'would never work'. He couldn't be accused of cheating anyhow - he hasn't had a mot on his mind other than Beka for quite some time.

19. Journal

Her journal holds everything - even her feelings for Rosto. She's taken to hiding it so no one stumbles upon it while they're eating breakfast each morning. She can never be too careful. Though she trusts her friends, thieves have a knack for stumbling upon things they aren't supposed to.

20. Finally

When he kisses her this time there is a new look in her eyes. She doesn't push him away this time. She has finally accepted that it's meant to be. There will be bumps along the way, but maybe, if the Gods will it, they can enjoy what little time they have together.


	3. Chapter 3

21. Suspicion

Goodwin's sure she didn't imagine the look that passed between her puppy and the Rogue when they pick up that weeks happy bag.

22. Late Night

It's almost a month after she finally gave in before she spends the night in Rosto's room. She doesn't get much sleep that night.

23. More

It's more fun than she remembers, and certainly more tiring -though she suspects that's just Rosto.

24. Best

Neither of them are innocent, but they both admit that's the best night (both the time spent sleeping and the time they were otherwise engaged) they've ever had.

25. Doubts

When she wakes up to find Rosto beside her all her doubts of the last night are banished.

26. Regret

She doesn't regret it at all...until, that is, she tries to stand.

27. Fair

She isn't caught leaving Rosto's room, but Kora winks at her later and she knows her friends have a pretty good idea of her whereabouts the previous night. It's not fair, she thinks, that no one caught Kora and Ersken for nearly a month. Then again, at least they hadn't walked in on her.

28.Watch

When Beka limps through her watch that night both Goodwin and Tunstall's eyebrows raise. As they exchange glances they know they suspect the same thing.

29. Differences

They are as different as day and night, sun and moon, summer and winter.

30. Chance

They know it might not last. Their relationship could last no longer than a few weeks. They take the chance anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

31. Almost

It was almost a year they'd been together, and she'd never heard him say he loved her. They are listening to the rain when he finally does, and she almost doesn't hear it.

32. Marriage

They both know marriage isn't an option. It's a contradiction just to be friends, let alone lovers.

33. Believe

She says it isn't his looks that she fell in love with, it's the man behind them. That's what she says, he thinks, though he can't help but believe her.

34. Knowing

They know every inch of each other by now. He knows how her toes turn white when she's cold, and she knows all the places he's ticklish.

35. Blessing

It's a blessing in disguise, Beka decides, that her friends tried to set the two of them up. This way she doesn't have to worry about wether or not they approve.

36. Visit

After neglecting to visit her siblings at Lord Provost's home, they all come down to visit her on her birthday. Well, all except Diona. They are more than a bit surprised to find she's got a sweetheart, even more surprised to find he's friendly and doesn't push them around like their papa used to.

37. Acceptance

Both Beka and Rosto are pleased that her siblings have accepted him from the start, though Beka suspects Diona would have more than a few things to say if she knew. Especially if she knew he was the rogue.

38. Safe

He'd do whatever it took to keep her safe.

39. Fighting

It wasn't easy. They fought sometimes, and often, because they were both so stubborn, those fights would last for days.

40. Admit

Apologizing wasn't the hardest part. A quick kiss and all was better. No, apologizing was easy. The hard part was admitting they were wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

41. Lucky

She cuffs him gently on the head.

"You're an idiot Rosto." He grins and leans in to kiss her.

"Maybe," he says. "But if I am, I'm a lucky one."

42. Better

"They're idiots! Pox rot the lot of them!" Rosto stormed into her room one night.

"Bad day?" Beka asked innocently. 

He scowled as she kissed his cheek.

"Bet I can make it better," she whispered, grinning wickedly.

43. Dread

She dreads the day she might have to hobble one of her friends for something.

44. Pounce

That blasted cat, Rosto thinks as the object of his enmity wriggles its way in between him and Beka.

45. Warn

When Beka is sick on the day Goodwin and Tunstall collect the happy bag, her dogs give Rosto a warning.

"Break her heart and you'll have the whole city searching for you. She's as good as a daughter to my Lord Provost, and I'd hunt you down and kill you myself." He now knows why his people are so frightened of Clary Goodwin. Then the woman grins.

"Just thought we ought to warn you."

46. Ice

For all that's pased between them, her eyes still unnerve him when they turn to ice.

47. Memories

She calls to mind hot summer nights tangled in the sheets, the full moon outside the only source of light.

48. Question

"If there was something you could change about me Rosto, what would it be?" she asks suddenly, lying beside him. He makes a show of contemplating his answer before kissing the top of her head and replying,

"How hard you hit when you're angry."

49. Summer

She rises and lights a single candle on the desk, staring out at the summer storm. The air is hot and muggy, and the patter of rain is comforting. She stands at the open window, the faint breeze ruffling the hem of her nightshirt.

"How long has it been?" she murmurs. She doesn't have to specify - he knows exactly what she means.

"Three years," he murmurs in reply. 

50. Realization

We did it, she thinks, staring absently at her lover, Rosto the Piper. We beat the odds. 


End file.
